Bird flu: Ulverston canal swans confirmed to have H5N8

Swans found dead or sick in Cumbria have been confirmed to have bird flu.

Caroline Sim found one female and her seven cygnets dead on Ulverston canal and said cygnets in a different family had died and two were "gravely ill".

"I can't describe the heartache," she said.

Cumbria County Council's director of public health Colin Cox said on social media there was "no cause for concern at the moment" as there was no sign of transmission to people.

The cases were being "carefully managed and monitored", he said.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the birds had tested positive for H5N8 but the strain had not yet been confirmed.

A number of wild birds have died from avian flu around England and the risk level has been raised from medium to high.

Defra figures show no cases of avian flu in wild birds were reported this year until the beginning of November, since when 41 birds, mainly swans and geese, had tested positive.

A number of outbreaks have also been identified in bird farms with the latest cases reported at a turkey farm in Northallerton.

Ms Sim had taken birds to the vet but said she had since been advised to leave them in the canal.

"I have deep concerns for swans and other water foul should there be a significant number of dead bodies in the water," she said.

Defra advises people finding dead or visibly sick birds to report them but not touch them.

Public Health England said the risk to the public's health was very low and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said, on the basis of current scientific evidence, the food safety risk for UK consumers was also very low.

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